


Single Awareness Day

by little_dhampir



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 14:20:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17809559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_dhampir/pseuds/little_dhampir
Summary: There is nothing about Valentine's Day Merlin likes but maybe the handsome stranger walking into his bookshop will change that.





	Single Awareness Day

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote the first paragraph of this for last year's Valentine's Day but it took me a whole year to turn it into this little ficlet.
> 
> Thank you Moon for being my spontaneous beta and thank you Merlin Chat for being full of awesome people.

Merlin hated Singles Awareness Day. He knew that wasn't actually the name of this oh-so-special Thursday, but it was a way more fitting name in his opinion. His skin crawled as he listened to yet another customer talking loudly on the phone to her friend, telling them all about the romantic dinner plans she had with her boyfriend. How he loathed her for talking so loudly, how he wanted to be like her. 

 

It had been way too long since he had any romantic plans, and the last time he had celebrated Valentine's Day had been two years ago, and that had ended with Merlin finding out Gilly had been cheating on him with not only a guy but actually a guy and a girl. He could still remember the hangover that had followed that evening and Will’s words of wisdom proclaiming that Merlin had the worst taste in men of any guy he had ever met. Merlin was pretty sure he was the only gay guy Will actually knew but still the words had had some truth to them. Merlin had a tendency to fall for assholes who broke his heart.

 

Most days Merlin was fine with not having a boyfriend, he was busy with work anyway, but some days just got to him. It was bad enough being chronically single with a taste for the wrong men, but Valentine's Day made it ten times worse. Seeing all those happy couples all day long and knowing he didn't have that with anyone, was breaking his heart. He had hoped his work would distract him from his thoughts today - or at least that he could get lost in the book he had planned on reading in preparation for the author event next month - but he had no such luck. 

 

Despite seeming like these days most people went for roses, chocolate and bling bling when it came to gifting and not for books, a few people had still wandered into the shop searching for sexy literature. Merlin had to stop himself from cringing every time a customer came in and asked for this Fifty Shades nonsense. Merlin was really glad that Gaius had decided against selling books like that; Merlin really didn't want to see his uncle with anything erotic in his hands. Plus in Merlin’s mind most anything well written was a way bigger aphrodisiac than some badly written porn that portrayed a whole lifestyle incorrectly.

 

Finally the day was nearly over and Merlin was glad for it. All he wanted to do was curl up on the sofa with some tea and a good movie, wallowing in self pity while eating his weight in pizza. He only had to survive one last hour and then he could thankfully close Kilgharrah’s, his uncle's bookshop that he had partially taken over. Looking around the small group of customers strolling from row to row, Merlin got lost in thoughts about molten cheese and small budget horror movies that tended to kill off exactly the kind of characters Merlin loathed most in his daily work life.

 

Lost in thought he watched two customers leave without buying anything and another one pay for the cookbook he had clearly bought as a gift. Merlin was ready to spend the last hour daydreaming while working when suddenly the door chimed and in walked the most gorgeous man Merlin had ever seen. 

 

Tall, Merlin was pretty sure he himself was an inch or two taller, but the man had wider shoulders than Merlin would ever achieve even if he ever finally started going to the gym, with clearly defined muscles hidden underneath the expensive looking suit he was wearing. The man looked like he had just walked off a photo shoot. Add blond hair, blue eyes and a crooked smile, and Merlin nearly swooned on the spot. He was already jealous of the supermodel this guy probably dated.

 

“Hi, can you help me?” The stranger asked as he walked straight over to Merlin’s counter without looking around. Those few words were enough for Merlin to clearly register the posh accent.

 

“If you are looking for the Fifty Shades wannabe erotica, we are not selling those,” Merlin answered right away. After dealing with one too many posh customers getting all flustered when asking for the book he had just learned to tell people straight away.

 

“I am not looking for something… well I am, but I need something a little bit better written and less… weird. I don't think buying those books for my secretary will send the right message, no matter how friendly we are,” the blond man chuckled.

 

“Oh yeah, sorry. I just assumed. It's just lots of guys came in here today looking for something to sex their girlfriends up or whatever.” Merlin could feel his cheeks changing colour. Why was he blushing, he usually didn't have any problems telling people off from buying these total wastes of paper.

 

“Yeah, no girlfriend to sex up on my part. Or boyfriend. Just a secretary who needs some appreciation for always dealing with what she calls my bad taste in dates and my father.” 

 

Merlin didn't miss the mention of a potential male partner--or rather the absence of one. Chuckling he responded, “Sounds like a person every guy should have in his life. So what are you looking for? Any specific reason for buying her a book?”

 

“I guess you don't have anything that says thanks for not quitting and sorry your ex is an arse?” the guy asked, and Merlin realised that there was quite some nice humour hidden underneath that posh appearance.

 

“Sadly no, that book is all sold out,” Merlin joked back and the guy laughed out loud.

 

“Yeah, I figured. She's really into football and old fairy tales if that helps.”

 

“It does. We do have a sports section over there,” Merlin pointed towards the back of the shop. “But I'm afraid I won't be able to recommend you much. I can't even remember the last time I did any kind of sport or even read about a sport. But we just got in a new delivery of the Leatherbound Classic Edition. Let me show them to you,” said Merlin stepping around his counter. Up close he realised the other man didn't just look good but smelled good too. 

 

“This way,” Merlin started to lead with the other man following him. Looking around the shop he realised there were no other customers left; it was only the two of them. High school fantasies of making out between some bookshelves with the scent of old books lingering in his nose started to emerge in Merlin’s mind again, and he was glad the stranger was behind him so he couldn't possibly see anything Merlin’s face might have been unable to hide.

 

“Here,” he said and stopped in front of a display in the fantasy section. “We have Alice in Wonderland, Arabian Nights and collections of both Grimm’s and Andersen's fairy tales.”

 

“They are really beautiful,” said the man, moving around Merlin to let his fingers glide over the spiral of the books, caressing them as he was clearly thinking about which one to choose. Watching him treat the books like that sent a wave of heat through Merlin.

 

“I would go with Alice, but that's just because I really love the Cheshire Cat,” Merlin confided, and the man smiled at him.

 

“You love cats?”

 

“Yeah, I even have one myself; Aithusa. She’s actually the daughter of the cat the shop is named after.”

 

“I was wondering about the unusual name of your shop. I think I'm going to trust you here and take this one.”

 

He pulled one of the Alice books from the display and opened it. Even though it was barely visible Merlin knew exactly the moment he took a sniff of the paper scent. Despite not knowing the man, Merlin’s attraction was growing with each second in his presence. Closing the book, the blond man pressed it against his chest and asked, “Can I maybe borrow a pen? I want to leave a message for Elena in the book. I can do it after I've paid, so no worries; I'm not going to destroy the book and just leave.”

 

“I didn't think that was your intention anyway, but yeah, you can borrow a pen. Let's just walk over to my desk again, I don't have one on me, and the checkout is over there as well.”

 

Merlin once more led the way back, with the handsome stranger following him closely.

 

“It's a lovely shop. I can't believe I've never been here before. I really need to come more often. Buying books online is just not the same as walking through the rows of an actual shop.”

 

“Bookshop rule number one; we don't talk about buying books online. We don't even think about it,” Merlin replied. He heard a snicker behind him.

 

“Just like Fight Club,” the stranger replied. “Only Book Club. Guess that means I have to come back instead.”

 

Merlin wasn't sure if the guy was just liking the shop or if he was flirting with him. Maybe both. Although Merlin wasn't sure why someone as handsome as the man would flirt with him.

 

When they reached the checkout Merlin stepped around the desk to grab a pen. “Here,” he said, handing the writing tool over. His fingers touched the other man’s for a second and sparks shot all through Merlin’s body as the guy sent a crooked smile his way.

 

“Thanks…” he was clearly waiting for Merlin to finish his sentence.

 

“Merlin, I'm Merlin,” he said, hoping he would find out the other man's name as well.

 

“I'm Arthur. And thanks,” he waved the pen a little while Merlin quickly scanned the book before handing it over for Arthur to write in.

 

“That's £23.99. Do you want maybe a gift bag to put it in?” Merlin asked after Arthur was done leaving a note inside the book.

 

“That would be great, thanks.”

 

“Ok, I'm afraid I only have the one with a dragon on in,” Merlin said after a quick look underneath the counter.

 

“That's alright, pretty sure Elena will like it.”

 

“From what you said earlier I think so too. Plus I think they look cool. I would totally be happy to get one of those.”

 

Merlin put the book in the bag and took the money from Arthur.

 

“So you're hoping to get a dragon bag for Valentine's day?” Arthur asked.

 

“Don't think that's gonna happen.” Merlin answered.

 

“No girlfriend to surprise you with a dragon?”

 

“More like no boyfriend in my life to give me anything,” Merlin answered truthfully.

 

“Oh so you enjoy Valentine's Day as much as I do.” Arthur stated and Merlin wasn't sure whether or not it was meant as a question.

 

“You mean Singles Awareness Day? It's okay. I shouldn't complain considering it is good for business.” Merlin shrugged.

 

“Well I'm glad to hear the shop is doing well. Too many independent stores seem to close these days.”

 

“Yeah…” Merlin hummed before his eyes caught a piece of paper. “Oh, here's your receipt by the way.”

 

Merlin quickly handed it over and felt another spark between their touching fingertips.

 

“Thanks,” Arthur said and took it. “And thanks for your help. I will definitely come back here.”

 

“I'm looking forward to it,” Merlin said without thinking. A blush was rising on his cheeks as he realised what he had insinuated. Arthur smiled.

 

“Bye Merlin,” he said and walked away before Merlin could say it back without shouting after him.

 

Once the door chimed again and Arthur had left the shop Merlin took a deep breath, unsure what to think of the unusual encounter. Looking at the clock he realised it was time to finally close the shop. As he shut down the computer and tidied up his work space he realised Arthur had left his receipt next to the pen he had used. Grabbing both - and ready to throw away the piece of paper - he suddenly saw something scrawled on it. He hadn't even noticed Arthur writing anything down. Taking a closer look he realised it was Arthur's name and a phone number. So he had been flirting with him.

 

Merlin couldn't believe it and after a quick look outside to see if anyone was on the street did a little happy dance before putting the receipt in his jeans pocket. Closing the front door and locking it for the night Merlin thought about what he should text Arthur. When he entered his flat fifteen minutes later he realised he might need a new name for February 14th.


End file.
